What did you do to your X1/9 today ?

Finally got around to doing the "raise my steering wheel" mod. As advertised, it was very easy and a huge improvement! I probably only got it about 1/2 an inch higher, but that made all the difference. There's *just* enough clearance to see the entire tach sweep now, esp. right in the 3k range. It's also much easier to get into the car, noticeably better even for a skinny driver. And this is hard to describe, but my head grazes the top normally--this mod let me actually slide the seat a bit forward (so it's not actually all the way back). And that lets me recline the seat back further. Which, in turn, lowers my head relative to the top. All around yields a noticeably better driving experience for $0 and ~20 minutes of time.
 
Finally got around to doing the "raise my steering wheel" mod. As advertised, it was very easy and a huge improvement! I probably only got it about 1/2 an inch higher, but that made all the difference. There's *just* enough clearance to see the entire tach sweep now, esp. right in the 3k range. It's also much easier to get into the car, noticeably better even for a skinny driver. And this is hard to describe, but my head grazes the top normally--this mod let me actually slide the seat a bit forward (so it's not actually all the way back). And that lets me recline the seat back further. Which, in turn, lowers my head relative to the top. All around yields a noticeably better driving experience for $0 and ~20 minutes of time.
Did a quick check for a link - came up empty. Does it apply to ALL X1/9's, or just some?
 

A few really old comments seem to suggest issues, but it wasn't clear whether that was model-year-specific or what. Mine is a later-style dash, fwiw. But it's super easy to just check whether it will work. If you want to give it a go, lmk, I can do a slightly more detailed step-by-step. But it really was about as easy as it sounds in the thread above.
 
Today, another super easy project that yielded a great return. I came across an old comment from a guy who ran an extra ground cable from the battery to the trans and suggested it may have helped the car run better, more smoothly, etc. So I figured at least cleaning the grounds on the existing strap might yield at least some benefit. Mine were pretty dirty/corroded--I can pretty much guarantee they haven't been touched since the car rolled off the assembly line 40 years ago. Cleaned 'em up, and the car sure does seem to run better. Smoother idle, smoother power delivery... Love it. Of course, this may all be placebo effect, but hey, even a placebo effect is an effect :)
 
Getting the '77 ready for sale so I swapped the Spectres to the '75 and put the CD-91s on the '77.

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Won’t be long my pretties...

FYI these are double wrapped. I drive onto a brand new tarp, put a car cover over the car then two layers of shipping blankets over that and then some foam floor tiles like people use for exercising on. Then the lower tarp is wrapped upward and tied over going over the top of the car. Once that is done the upper tarp is applied and tied around the bottom of the car and around the circumference of the car to keep it conformal.

The cars were put away with full tanks of gas and the batteries removed.
 

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Do you get any condensation forming inside?
Generally not. It was very dry the day I put them away, both cars were very dry not having been washed in a while and no rain in the days leading up to the interment. I do put some desiccant packs into the cars to minimize any of that. I use peppermint oil sprayed onto the tarp interior, in the trunks and on the carpets to keep the mice at bay.

I have been doing this for many years and have had no problems.
 
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Removed some truly scary fuel lines. In retrospect, I can't believe I didn't do this sooner. Also removed the filter mount and pump mount for reconditioning. The rubber standoffs were pretty much shot. Broke one bolt off on the pump mount trying to remove the last rubber standoff for replacement :rolleyes:

I got the inlet line replaced after some wrangling.

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Better!

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This week-end unbolted and removed engine cover from car to begin restoration.
Unscrewed philips head screws at outside edge. Drilled out rivets and pulled rain guard from engine cover. A little rust along edges to be repaired. Now to take both to be sand-blasted before undercoating and painting. A small fuel fire a few years back made engine cover and rain guard look like a barbecue hot-plate cover.
What was the original paint finish on these covers ? Matt black, satin ? Top coats with matt lacquer over black. Perhaps a baked finish ?

82 X 1/9
95 Honda Integra VTIr
 

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